James e



(No Model.) I J E BOYLE '2 SheetsSheet; 1.

FLUSHING- APPARATUS FOR WATER GLOSETS.

-Patented Jan. 1, 1884.

WITNESSES: |NVENTOR- 3m (3am water-level in the tank.

trio-a.

JAMES E. BOYLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

FLUSHING APPARATUS FOR wATER-oLosETsf SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent Nb. 291,139, dated January 1, 1884,

Application filed March 12, 1883. (No model.)

To [LZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, Janus E. BOYLE, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in FlushingApparatus for Tater-Glosets, of which the following is a specification.

- This invention relates'to water-closets of the same general characteras that described in my Patent No. 255,485, dated March 28, 1882, andhas for its principal object to cheapen and Sim plify the overheadflushing apparatus.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings shows the preferred form of myinvention in vertical section,the tank being connected with awater-closet bowl of the character shown in my said patent. Figs. 2 and3 are diagrams showing the same construction of tank in two differentconditions. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical sections of two modified forms oftanks, and Fig. 6 is a diagram showing another modification.

Referring to Fig. 1, A is the bowl, and Bthe soil-passage leadingtherefrom and forming traps G and D and intervening air-space, (l. E isthe service tank or cistern, supplied with water through a float-valve,which keeps it filled normally to the level shown. F is theflushing-chamber; l, the flushing-pipe leading down from the bottom ofthis chamber to the flushing-rim k of the bowl, and e the air-pipe orsuction-pipe leading from the air-space d to the top of the chamber F.These parts are all of substantially the same construction as thelike-lettered parts in my said patent, except in the particularshereinafter described. The chamber F is arranged wholly below the tankE, with the exception of an upward extension through the tank formed bya tube, F, to the top of which the vent-pipe f is connected. There needbe no check-valve in this pipe. The suction'pipe e rises through thechamber F, inside the tube F, and nearly to the top of the latter, itsopen upper end being above the Inside the tube F is fixed a tube orair-bell, n, the top of which extends slightly above the top of the pipe6, and is closed, and the bottom of which is open and extends nearly tothe bottom of the chamber F. Inside of the tube a, and between it andthe pipe 6, is placed a pipe, 0', the upper end of which is op en andextends preferably above the Water-level in the tank E, but not so highas the top of the pipe 6, and the bottom of which extends through thebottom of the chamber F and connects with a passage-way, s, formed'in acasting, G, which is fastened beneath the chamber. This casting extendsto the right, and the outlet-orifice i, at the bottom of the chamber,opens into it. Beneath this orifice the flushing-pipe l is connected tothe casting G. The orificet' is surrounded witha pendent flange or shortdownwardly-projecting tube which depends into the casting G, and thisorifice and casting, in connection with the flushingpipe Z, form asuction-injector, I, the operation of which causes a suction through thepassage (lettered it) formed by the tube 1* and passage-way s, as willbe presently ex plained.

There is but one valve-the valve h-closing the inlet-opening h to thechamber F. This opening should be about three inches in diameter, andthe outlet-orifice i should be about three fourths or seven-eighths ofan inch in diameter, or the two may be of other dimensions inapproximately the same proportion. The valve h is connected byastem orchain to a weighted lever, 9, which keeps the valve normally closed, andis operated to open it by a pull connected to it through a wire orchain, q, in any usual manner. The overfiowpipe m is shown as passingthrough the valve h and serving as its stem. This pipe is trapped by acup, m, which incloses its lower end and rises and falls with it.

In my said patent the flushing-chamber F is a sealed chamber, andoperates during the flushing to produce a suction in the pipe 0 by meansof avaeuum. In my present invention the flushing-chamber is not sealed,and consequently is not a vacuum-chamber, and the suction is produced ingreat part by the action of the injector I, as will presently bedescribed.

The operation of my invention will be best understood from the diagrams,Figs. 2 and 3. In these the pipe 0 is not shown as passing through thepipe 1", but for elearness the two ward extension F are exaggerated. Thenorare placed side by side, and the bell n and up- ICO or other suitableappliance, the valve his liftedand water from the tank E commences toflow rapidly into the chamber F, and immediately thereafter to flowoutward through the orifice i. Fig. 2 shows the parts in this condition.As the inlet-orifice h has about sixteen times the area of theoutlet-orifice i, the water enters the chamber F much more rapidly thanit can escape from it, and quickly fills the chamber, expelling the airthrough the tube F and pipe f. By the time the chamber is thus filledthe water running out through the orificei and descending theflushing-pipe will commence to flow into the bowl A, and the userhearing it will then naturally release the pull, whereupon the valve hwill drop back to its seat. The water contained in the flushing-chamberwill then continue to flow out through the orifice 2' until the chamberis emptied. Fig. 3 shows the apparatus shortly after the valve h isclosed. From the time the water entering the chamber reaches the orificez until the chamber is emptied there is a continuous stream of waterflowing out through this orifice, falling through the cavity orinjectorehamber in the casting G, and flowing down the flushing-pipe. Incrossing the cavity in the casting it encounters and carries with it aportion of air, and so creates a partial vacuum in this cavity in themanner common to injectors. This partial vacuum or suction extends upthrough the passage t into the hell it, from which it draws the air foran instant, and until the water in the chamber F rises above the bottomend of this bell and so seals it and prevents any further flow of airinto it. The rarefaction rapidly increases from that instant, and air isdrawn up through the pipe e and from the space (I. The effect of thisrarefaction is to siphon the trap C or cause the water to flow over fromthis trap and fall into the trap D, and this siphoning proceeds rapidlyuntil the water-level in the bowl A is lowered to the outlet-opening a,whereupon air enters the space (I from the bowl and breaks the vacuum.This breaking of the vacuum should occur shortly after the first of theflushing-water reaches the bowl, and thereafter the water enters thebowl and is as rapidly drawn out by the siphoning of the trap, therebycausing a powerful outflow through the bowl and soilpassage, whichcarries with it the entire contents of the bowl. In the course of thisoperation the vacuum may be broken several times by entrance of air fromthe bowl. In any case the rarefaction in the bell n will cause the waterto rise to a greater height in it than in the chamber F, as shown inFig. 3, and if the suction is sufficiently strong the water in the bellwill be drawn up to the top of the piper, and

will descend through the passage t, mixed with air. Thus the water willbe drawn from the chamber F to the pipe Z through two conduitssimultaneously. The rarefa ction in the bell 11, pipe 6, and space (1will continue until the water in the chamber has so far run out as tounseal the bottom of the bell, whereupon the vacuum is broken finally bythe entrance of air into the bell, and thereupon the remaining waterwill fiow into the bowl as an afterwash, and will fill it up to thelevel shown, leaving it ready for the next use of the closet. Theprecise operation will depend upon the proportioning of the parts, as byaltering the relative capacities of the trap 0, space (1, pipe 6, bella, passage 1, and chamber F, and the relative areas of the orifices hand i the operation might be considerably modified.

I have stated that the person using the closet will naturally releasethe pull when he hears the water pouring into the bowl, and if the partsare so proportioned that when this occurs the chamber F will be filled,the operation will almost invariably be satisfactory. If he shouldrelease the pull too quickly, the only result would be a proportionatelyshorter flush, and if he should hold the pull too long, the flush wouldbe unnecessarily prolonged, the only disadvantage of which would be awaste of more or less water. To prevent the latter contingency aself-seating valve may be used, as the valve 71. The valve shown in myPatent No. 249,577, dated November 17, 1881, will answer the purposewell.

Fig. 4 shows a modification in which a valve of this character is used,in connection with a different lever arrangement. The wire q is to beconnected to the water-closet seat, and the weight on the lever tends tolift the valve. The parts are shown in full lines in the normalposition. lVhen the seat is depressed, the le ver is tilted to theposition shown in dotted lines, thereby forcing down the piston 12 inthe cylinder 10, which is fixed to the valve h. The piston has aeuppedleather packing, which permits the water to escape around itduring its downward movement. The parts remain thus until the user risesfrom the seat, where upon the lever is tilted by its counter-weight backto its normal position, and the piston o is lifted. The piston inlifting carries with it by suction the cylinder 10, and so lifts thevalve h to the position shown in dotted lines. The cylinder 10 has asmall inlet-conduit or leakpassage, adjusted by ascrew, z, and as waterslowly enters through this conduit the valve slowly descends, andfinally seats itself. The adjustment should be such that the valve willseat itself as soon as the chamber F is filled. In other respects theoperationis the same as already described. The over flow-pipe m isplaced at one side and fixed in place, and its lower end is sealed in afixed cup, m.

Fig. 5 shows how two valves may be used, the arrangement of the valvesand the lever IIO being the same as in mysaid Patent No. 255,485. Theoutlet-orifice i is made larger than in the construction beforedescribed, and the valve j, fixed to the stem to, works up and downthrough this orifice and, when lowered, seats itself on the bottom ofthe casting G, over the orifice 2", whence the flushing-pipe leads. Thevalve nearly fills the orifice i, the area of the interveningannularspace beingaboutthesame as of the orifice 1'- in Fig. 1. The twovalves are so arranged that when the lever is at midstroke both areseated; but when the lever is at either extremity of its stroke onevalve is seated and the other is lifted. The upward extension F and bellnare no longer distinct, and a check-valve, g, is interposed between theinterior of the bell and the air-pipe f leading from its top.

The parts are shown in their normal position. \Vhen the seat isdepressed, the valve 7' is seated and the valve h is lifted. The chamberF is quickly filled through the orifice h, and water flows thence intothe bell n, the air therein escaping through the valve '9. ater alsoflows through the annular opening 1', and fills the passage 16 to thesame level. The chamber F, hell it, and passaget remain full until theseat is released, whereupon the valve h closes and the valve j opens.The water from the passage t and chamber F then commences to run outinto the pipe I, the former flowing the more rapidly and instantlyproducing a suction, which should suffice to lift the water in the bella and cause it to flow down the passage 1. The water from the chamber Fflows out through the annular orifice 2', and descends through theflushing-pipe, and acts to cause a suction or rarefaetion in the samemanner as in Fig. 1. This construction causes a more powerful and rapidsuction than the other, but I prefer 7 that first described because ofits greater cheapness, as its action is practically sufficient.

It will be seen that my present invention introduces a new principle foroperating double trapped or siphon water-closets namely, that ofproducing the requisite vacuum by causing the falling flushing-water toact as an injector and draw air along with it. I have combined with thismeans for securing the requisite after-wash 7 F to refill the bowl atthe termination of the flushing, which is practically the same as thatset forth in my said Patent No. 255,485; but it is not essential thatthis means of securing the afterw'ash be used;

The diagram, Fig. 6, is designed to illustrate the essential principleof my present invention even more clearly than the preceding figures.The air-pipe 0 does not enter the chamber F, but is connected by abranch with the flushingpipc Z below the chamber, the injector I beingarranged at their junction. The valve g is shown merely to prevent watersetting back and flowing down the pipe e, since the top of this pipe isbelow the water-levelw to, instead of above it, as before. No provisionfor securing an after-wash is here shown, but the bowl may be refilledafter the flushing by any suitable means, as by water admitted by avalve through an independent flushingpipe.

I claim as my invention- 1. A flushing apparatus for water-closets,consisting of a reservoir-tank, a flushing-chamber adapted to be filledtherefrom, a valve controlling the admission of water from said tank tosaid chamber, a suction-injector arranged beneath the outlet from saidchamber, a flushing-pipe leading from said injector, and a suction orair pipe communicating with said injector, all combined and arrangedsubstantially as set forth, whereby the water in escaping from saidchamber into the flushing-pipe traverses said injector, and sucks theair from said suction-pipe.

2. The combination of a reservoir-tank, a flushing-chamber, a valvecontrolling the ad mission of water from said tank to said chamher, asuction-pipe terminating at the upper part of said chamber, an injectorbeneath the outlet from said chamber, a flushing-pipe leading downwardfrom said injector, and a sue tion-passage afi'ording communication fromsaid injector to said suction-pipe, substantially as and for thepurposes set forth.

8. Afiushing apparatus for water'closets, consisting of areservoir-tank, a flushing-chamber, a valve controlling the admission ofwater from said tank to said chamber, a su ction-inj ector beneath theoutlet from said chamber, aflushingpipeleadingdownwardfromsaidinjector,asuetion or air pipe openinginto the upper part of said chamber, and a suction-passage extendingfrom said pipe to said injector, whereby the passage of water throughsaid injector into the flushing-pipe will develop a suction in saidsuction-passageand suction-pipe, in combination with means,substantially as described, for admitting air to said suction passage orpipe, and so breaking the vacuum therein before all the water hasescaped from the chamber,whereby an after-washis secured, all combinedand arranged to operate substantially as set forth.

4. In combination, the tank E, the chamber F, provided withinlet-orifice h and outlet-orifice 1', the valve 71, thesuction-injector I, the flushing-pipe Z, the air-pipe e, thesuctionpassage 1 and the air-bell 12, substantially as set forth.

5. A flushing apparatus for a water-closet, consisting of thecombination of a reservoirtank, a flushing-chamber provided with aninlet-orifice of large area communicating with said tank, and with anoutlet-orifice of contracted area proportioned to the area of saidinlet-orifice, substantially as specified, a valve adapted to close saidinlet-orifice, an air-pipe opening into said flushing-chamber, and aflushing-pipe leading from said outlet-orifice, In witness whereof Ihavehereunto signed 10 all arranged and adapted to operate substanmy name inthe presence of two subscribing tially as set forth. witnesses.

6. The combination, with tank E and chamber F, of the valve h thereof,its stem con- 1 JAMES E. BOYLE. sisting of an overflow-tube, m, and asealingcup, m, below the valve, in which cup the g \Vitnesses:

l ARTHUR O. FRASER, HENRY CONNETT.

lower end of the overflow-tube is immersed, substantially as set forth.

